So I saw what I figured must have been the last episode of Sports Night (the one were the network is sold) on Comedy Central the other night and figured that must mean that the pilot will probably be on next. And it was. And my god, what a difference between the two!
I guess good hair costs money because Felicity Huffman’s looks awful in the 1st episode. And it was weird first seeing Robert Guillaume post, then pre-stroke.
But most of all, that fing laugh track!! Oh the humanity!*
When I was like 10 or 12 I can remember watching a very few non-laugh track shows, and hating them. It was like watching a comedian bomb. But I was a kid (i.e. an idiot with no taste). I just didn’t ‘get’ it. My idea of comedy was reruns of The Munsters & Gilligan’s Island! So I guess that means that, even here in the 21st century, network execs still consider all TV viewers to be idiots who are incapable of ever ‘getting’ it.
I know some people won’t see the big deal, but the laugh track in the Sports Night pilot literally ruined the entire show! I watched it and tried to imagine Larry Sanders with a laugh track (talk about tits on a bull!) It completely changed what was trying to be a smart, subtle, intelligent dramedy into moronic, sit-com slapstick. It made Dana & Natalie look like Lucy & Ethel (and believe me, that’s NOT a compliment).
We were watching a few episodes last weekend, and I actually commented on it. It was really annoying to watch a “smart” comedy, and hear the stinkin’ laugh track.
I never watched the show when it was on (and don’t have cable) so I’m only now enjoying it. But the DVD does still have the laugh track.
The first thread I talked about how the (later 1st season) episode had a really sparse laugh track, which seemed unusual.
In the last show it was completely gone but then in the pilot it was after almost every line! It even included extra flourishes like clapping and hooting!
VarlosZ, think about how much more energy you spent writing that post than you would have by just closing the thread.
Yes, the laugh track in the first episode in particular is horrid, horrid, horrid; my recollection is that within just a couple episodes it fades considerably and stops being a noticeable problem very quickly.
